“You need to hydrate, master Skylar. You made us all proud last night.”
My cheeks heated under his approving gaze, and I took a long drink, then looked back to my cousin. “I don’t know why, but it came up in my thoughts just when I needed it.”
Chance grinned. “It’s because he sang it. Right here in the living room when you were fighting that thing.”
“According to what we’ve pieced together, he started singing not long after the mimic transformed into your father,” King said.
“No way. How is that possible?” I asked, amazed.
Looking as awed as I felt, Ego shook his head again. “Chance thinks, well, he thinks I’m a sound witch.”
“Really? That’s a thing? How freakin’ cool is that.”
“Right? I don’t know what it means, but it feels cool. Maybe even a little important.”
Gran hummed. “You Reigns are gifted, that’s for sure.”
My cousin and I locked gazes, both of our mouths tightening in acknowledgement that this must come from our fathers’ side of the family then, which kinda sucked, but then again. “We rock!” I yelled.
“Yeah, we do.” He laughed a joyous sound that warmed my heart.
As my gaze moved around the room, I noticed Scotty staring at Ego like he was a puzzle he couldn’t figure out, and I hopedthat meant my friend would eventually give my cousin a chance. Not in a romantic way or anything, but at least to prove to him that he could be another person that he could trust and depend on.
Snuggling back into King, I catalogued his breath on the side of my face and the way his arms held me so tenderly. I could’ve lost this last night. We could’ve lost what we were building together, and just the thought of it made me want to throw up. But we both knew better now. He wouldn’t deny me the pleasure of his company, and I’d take my training seriously. I never wanted to encounter a situation like last night again without feeling more prepared to hold my own.
“Has anyone seen Patchy?” I wondered aloud.
Pops snorted. “Your little pup is giving Duchess a run for her money. The last I saw, he was following her around the parlor.”
Just thinking about it cracked me up, and as much as I’d love to get up and see, I was exhausted and there were other things I needed to know first. “No, really. Why is everyone here, though? Who opened Witch’s Brew?”
Carli smiled sweetly. “We were there this morning for the rush, then took the afternoon off and came back.”
“We’re so proud of you,” Cassi added. “We wanted to be here to congratulate you.”
“Although,” Carli said, picking up again. “We expected you to be up and about by the time we returned. Who knew you’d be such a sleepy head?”
Chance put his hand in the air. “Me. He used to love to sleep in.”
King’s chuckle heated the shell of my ear. “I think he deserved a little lie-in this time.”
My gaze moved to Malcolm. “You stayed, too? Or did you come back?”
He chuckled. “Well, Marc and I ran and picked up bagels from The Daily Knead to give the guys a break, but then I came back. Being Lorewarden all these years has been such a lonely job. The only people who remember exactly who I am don’t live local. It’s nice to have people to talk to.”
I craned my head and met King’s gaze. He shrugged, and I knew we’d have to come back to that once we were alone.
“I think it’s nice for my Mr. to have a running buddy,” Elyse said with a giggle.
“Like you don’t, Mrs.,” he responded, pointing a finger at Rosie. He had a valid point.
My gaze finally rested on Booker. “How are you feeling?”
“Better.” He huffed. “Relieved. I can never thank you all enough. Especially you, Sky. You saved my life.”
“I don’t know about that.” Or maybe I did. Maybe King’s dreamwalking leading us to him really did save the young sorcerer from eventually losing his mind and giving in to the mimic. What would it be like to have one of those things walking around on this side of the veil? What could it do? I shivered, not even wanting to know. “What will you do now?”
A small self-conscious grin crept onto his face, and he darted a glance over at Carli and Cassi. “The Harts have, uh, offered to let me work for them.”
